There are thousands of Indonesian migrant workers in Malaysia. Most of them are women
performing domestic service work. Migrant workers are often exploited by recruiting agents and
employers, and have to endure poor working and living conditions. By and large, they remain
outside the trade union movement. Although the law does not prevent them from explicitly
joining a trade union, most of the contracts offered by agencies establish clauses stating that
workers cannot unionise. If they do, they risk being sent back or fired. Besides, cross border
migration is likely to increase in the near future. The partnership agreement on migrant labour
between the Malaysian Trade Union Congress (MTUC) and the Indonesian Trade Union
Congress (ITUC/KSPI) is an important part of bilateral cooperation in South-East Asia. To
harmonise working and living conditions, it is also necessary to inform the workers of the
positive contributions of migrant labour towards the development of both receiving and sending
countries. One of the reasons for the agreement is to contribute to this harmonisation. It also
aims to explore trade union solidarity and to strengthen cooperation between both organisations
by regularly exchanging information on the situation of both labour markets, by exchanging
experts on different issues and by taking immediate actions and finding solutions to migration
problems. Moreover, the agreement aims to improve participation and consultation of the social
partners at all levels and to establish better cooperation with the employers‟ organisations. The
cooperation between the MTUC and the ITUC will include mutual visits, bilateral talks and
consultations on these issues, seminars and conferences on specific topics concerning migrant
labour and exchange of knowledge, experience and experts between trade unions at all levels.